Chapter 2 - The Mask Slips
Victoria’s hand came down across my cheek with a loud, stinging crack that echoed through the marble entryway.
The force of the slap jerked my head to the side. A sharp heat flared across my skin, but I didn't fall. I didn't scream. I stood my ground, my hands clenching into fists at my sides, my eyes locking back onto hers with unwavering quiet dignity.
Behind me, little Chloe let out a muffled whimper. Emma instantly wrapped both arms around her little sister, pulling Chloe's face into her stomach so she wouldn't have to see.
"You think because you've been here for five years you matter?" Victoria sneered, leaning in so close I could smell her expensive, suffocating rose perfume. Her voice was a dark, dripping venom. "You're a servant, Grace. A paid babysitter. You clean the dirt off Julian's floors, and once I wear his ring, I will personally sweep you out with the rest of the trash."
"Strike me again if it makes you feel powerful, Miss Victoria," I said, keeping my voice steady despite the adrenaline surging through my blood. "But touch those children again, and I won't care who you are to Mr. Vance. I will protect them."
Victoria laughed—a high-pitched, cruel sound devoid of any humor.
"Protect them?" she mocked. She stepped past me, her red high heels clicking sharply against the floor, and grabbed Emma by her collar, yanking the eight-year-old girl backward.
"Hey! Let go of her!" I yelled, reaching out to block her.
Victoria shoved me hard against the wooden display table. A crystal vase rattled dangerously, but I regained my balance just in time to see Victoria towering over Emma.
"Look at me, you little brat," Victoria hissed into Emma’s face. "Your father isn't here. He's three hundred miles away in New York. There is no one coming to save you. If you don't start showing me respect, I'll make sure your father sends both of you away to a boarding school in the middle of nowhere. Do you understand me?"
Emma’s chin trembled, tears brimming in her large brown eyes, but she stared back at Victoria with her father’s unyielding spirit. "My daddy loves us. He won't send us away."
"Your daddy loves me," Victoria corrected with a sickening smirk. "He gives me whatever I want. And right now, I want a quiet house."
She reached out, grabbed Chloe’s stuffed bunny from the floor, and walked over to the roaring marble fireplace.
"No! Please! Not Barnaby!" Chloe cried out, breaking away from Emma and throwing her tiny hands against Victoria’s knees. "Please, Miss Victoria! I'll be good! I promise I'll be good!"
Victoria looked down at the four-year-old girl with pure disgust. Without a single second of hesitation, she tossed the plush toy straight into the flames.
Chloe let out a heartbreaking, desperate scream, dropping to her knees on the rug.
"That's what happens when you disobey me," Victoria said calmly, dusting off her hands as the wool toy caught fire. "Now, Grace, pick up these girls and lock them in their bedroom until tomorrow morning. If I hear a single sound from upstairs, I'll burn the rest of their toys."
I felt a dark, ancient protective rage ignite inside my chest. I walked over, scooped Chloe up into my arms, and took Emma’s hand tightly in mine.
I looked Victoria straight in the eye.
"You think you're clever, Victoria," I whispered, my voice dripping with quiet promise. "You think walls don't have eyes in a house like this."
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Victoria’s eyes narrowed, a tiny flick of hesitation crossing her face before she replaced it with a arrogant smile. "This house is mine now, Grace. And nobody is watching."
She couldn't have been more wrong.
